Crossword puzzle games are well known and have long provided an educational and entertaining activity for millions of people. In a typical crossword puzzle game, an answer grid is provided which comprises a plurality of interconnected squares or cells. The squares are arranged in rows and columns and each square is designed to contain one letter of an answer to at least one provided clue. Certain squares within the grid are numbered to indicate a correspondence between particular clues and the squares in which the answers to those clues are to be written or otherwise indicated. The number of letters in the answer to each clue must fit exactly in the number of squares provided on the answer grid for the answer to that clue. Due to the matrix form of the answer grid, the various answers intersect one another so that some or all of the letters forming an answer also form part of at least one and typically several other answers. For example, the letters of a horizontal answer can form part of numerous vertical answers that intersect the horizontal answer.
Crossword puzzle games are provided for all different ages and levels of knowledge. Certain puzzles may be too easy for some players, while other puzzles are difficult for even experienced and knowledgeable players. For many players, it is difficult to find crossword puzzle games that are sufficiently difficult to be challenging, yet not impossible to complete without repeated reference to the answer key. Also, in certain instances, the answer key is not provided with the puzzle and is only available at a later date. It is believed that many more people would play crossword puzzle games if a crossword puzzle game could be developed that was sufficiently difficult to be challenging to players, while at the same time, providing encouragement and clues to the player that a particular answer may be correct, without requiring that player to look at an answer key.